Her Own Beautiful World
by OxfordianLlama
Summary: Fairy-tale AU, Brittany lives in a hidden tower, with hardly any outside contact and a dark, magical past. Santana is the princess of Lima- and there's a reason she has been refusing men she is expected to marry. What happens when they meet, fall in love, and get in the way of a powerful, mad faerie? Rapunzel!Brittany, Princess!Santana, better summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:**

**Hello, there! **

**I was hit by this monster of a plot bunny the other day, and I literally could not do anything until I had at least half of it out, even though I had promised myself I would work on my multi-chap. Oh well. This was rushed, but I hope you enjoy.**

**Summary: In a fairy-tale AU, Brittany has lived her entire life in a hidden tower beyond the outskirts of the Kingdom of Lima, her only contact to the outside world being the many visits from her 'Mama'. Santana is the treasured princess of Lima- and there's a reason she keeps refusing the many suitors her who offer to marry her. What happens when the princess discovers the innocent, happy Brittany and immediately falls in love with her? Rapunzel!Brittany, Princess!Santana, Brittana with bonus Klaine and Blaintana friendship.**

**Um, there aren't any warnings that I can think of.**

**I don't own Glee.**

**PS I have no idea what's wrong with the spacing. I'm really sorry of this is hard to read, but I tried everything.**

* * *

Brittany was a happy girl. She always had been. Ever since she opened her clear blue eyes and giggled up at the woman who was spiriting her away faster than people thought could be possible in those days, she had been happy. The woman was glad of that. As selfish as her means were, she loved Brittany as a daughter. She loved the girl's strange, endearing mannerisms, the way she stumbled over words but moved with a grace beyond her years. Brittany, even at seventeen, was a creature of innocence- she had not the sense to cook or clean without ruining something, and it had taken years for her to learn how to properly brush her long, trailing, white-gold hair. But she was caring and bubbly and happy. And that was all that mattered.

Our tale begins on a spring day- on the kind of morning that is dense with fresh, new life, and filled with so much sunshine, it becomes almost intoxicating. Birds chirped, the rivers sang, the breeze swirled against one's skin in an overwhelming caress of the senses. That day, Brittany woke up as usual, fed Lord Tubbington some cake, and brushed her hair until she forgot how long she'd been brushing. You see, Brittany's hair was five, six times as long as she was tall- long, pin-straight strands, This hair was not normal hair, no; it had a strange magic about it. Immensely strong and silky, it trailed after the girl as she spun around the tower in which she resided almost as if it had some say in where it was going. Brittany wrapped a scarf about the crown of her head so it wouldn't fall over her face and sang a little song to Lord Tubbington, who lounged lazily on the table. It wasn't a song with words. Brittany wasn't good with words, maybe because she rarely used them. She only ever used words to talk to Mama, who came only once a week. So she sang, an delicate string of vowels to fill the air, until a voice answered her wordless call.

"Brittany! Brittany, let down your hair."  
"Coming!" Brittany said, racing to the window. She looped her hair around a hook by the frame, watching it unfurl past the smooth green marble of the the steep tower walls until it came to rest at the elegantly shod feet of her Mama, who smiled up at her from below. The woman swiftly clambered up the tail with ease that was obviously not natural, but Brittany had known nothing else differing from this weekly occurrence, it was completely natural.  
"Hi, Mama!"she said cheerfully as the woman swung through the window frame with practiced grace.  
"Hello, darling," replied the woman, shaking out perfect, saucer-sized brown curls and smoothing out her silken dress. "Happy birthday!"  
Brittany blinked. "My birthday?"  
Mama laughed. "Yours, Brittany. I got you a present, too!"  
The girl's eyes lit up, the sky blue hue brightening. "Is it a unicorn? A leprechaun?"  
Mama shook her head teasingly. "None of those things."  
Brittany fiddled with a silky lock, deep in thought."Ummm... is it a baby?"  
"Nooo..." Mama produce a wicker basket, and drew out an expanse of dark, blue fabric. "It's a new dress. Do you like it?"  
Brittany squeed with delight. "I love it! Can I put it on?" She immediately stripped out of her own dress (which was admittedly, a little shabby) and ran over to put it on.  
"Woah, all right then!" Mama, not expecting the sudden nudity, but not resenting it either, helped her pull it over her head, gathering the hair into a bundle until she could get it fastened up.  
The dress really was beautiful- a swishy-skirted, floaty-sleeved robe of navy blue.  
"Oh," sighed Brittany, splaying her hands across the smooth, fitted bodice. "It's so pretty."  
"Good," said Mama, grinning as she picked up the basket and set on the single table. "I've got food for the week in here. Just don't feed it all to that cat. I have to go. I'll see you next week, all right?"  
Brittany twirled, her coil of hair swishing around her bare feet. "Bye. Mama!" she chirped happily as the the woman stepped gracefully out the window. Within seconds, the sound of feet rushing across the tall grass came and went, and she was gone.  
"Woah!" exclaimed Brittany appreciatively as she became dizzy and collided with the table. Then she rummaged through the basket and fed Lord Tubbington some ham.

* * *

Brittany and Mama (and many others we have yet to meet) lived in an era unknown to us in the twenty-first century. Not unlike the fairy tales we tell to children, but still different. There was royalty and magic, and other wondrous things. And that's what we're getting to now.

Santana was not happy. How could she be? After a morning (which started way too early) that began with stuffed into an elaborately ruffled dress, being powdered, pinned-up, and polished, and being introduced to yet another available, rich suitor hoping to become king someday, she was in quite a bad mood. At least this one wasn't that repulsive. You know, other than the fact that he was a man. Finn, his name was- Finn Hudson. He was tall and awkward and seemed nice enough, though a little slow. He had come with his brother, who wasn't interested at all- though had seemed to catch the eye of her servant and best friend, Blaine.

"Ugh. How long are these ones going to be here?" she complained, struggling with the laces of her frothy gown. They had retreated into her chambers and all she really wanted to do was go for a ride on her horse. Which she couldn't do in the monstrosity most women called fashion.  
"Until summer solstice, I think. Your father really wants you to marry this one." Blaine smirked as he easily undid the dress. Santana glowered at him. "Shut up. You're only happy because you get to spend time with his brother... what's-his-name."  
Blaine leaned against the wardrobe, looking dreamy. "Kurt. Isn't he beautiful?"  
"I wouldn't know, Anderson."  
The boy glanced at her immediately. "Of course."  
It wasn't a secret that girls weren't his ...interest, and although people generally didn't care, it would be different for her. A princess, with a bloodline to carry on. So Blaine was the only one who knew her secret.  
Santana made an irritated noise. "Get your arse over here, Anderson," she grumbled, "and bring my riding clothes.  
Soon, dressed in sober brown, she was flying out of the Kingdom of Lima on her horse, and into the thick, endless forest.

* * *

If ever the Crown Princess Santana of Lima disappeared for a few hours, most people accepted that she was out riding. Safe or not, for Santana it was an escape from the daily pressures of royal life, and because she shrouded her distinctively beautiful face and pitch-black hair, more often than not people, if she came across them, never even recognized her.

The trees an ombre blur, the wind egging her on, Santana positively flew straight forward into the dense woods, enjoying the mental and physical exercise. Almost an hour later, she forced herself to slow to a stop by a stream, from which she and her horse, Minty, drank greedily. If Mother could only see me now, she thought rebelliously, wearing trousers and drinking streamwater. She'd probably faint.

It hit both the princess and the horse at the same time. Minty rose from the water, ears pricking up, as Santana swiveled her head this way and that. She had heard something that was faint but attention-catching. Softly mounting Minty, Santana nudged them towards the sound. There! She caught it- it was almost a song, a clear call, just begging to be answered. The princess, more confident now, led on through a thick grove, the voice becoming clearer, louder. Suddenly it vanished, and she was struck by an immense urge to turn away. Minty reared.

But again! Fainter, but still... yes, that's what it was- beautiful, alluring. Curiosity made her frown and concentrate, and it warred against the fear and doubt, and Santana pushed on.

Her mind cleared as soon as she entered the clearing, though she'd not even known how muddled it had been until that moment; but what a moment it was!

Santana looked, in awe, at the the tower that rivaled the tallest trees in the surrounding woods. It seemed to be made of seamless marble, green at the bottom, merging with sky blue from the top. In a field of swishing, green grass, it stood almost unnaturally still. There was no door, as far as she could see, but at the top, there was a window, and from that window the voice, for it was a voice, clearly came.

Taking a moment to tether Minty to a tree, she slowly approached the monolithic tower. Who was up there? And how did they get there? And how did they sing so magically, so enticingly? Cautiously placing a hand on the cool marble of the tower, Santana circled it once, twice, feeling no cracks, no sign of a door, anywhere. As she came under the window a third time, she paused and took a deep breath.

"Hello?" she blurted. The voice halted. Movement. Suddenly, a narrow, pale face appeared high above, blonde hair cascading back and a navy blue dress about her shoulders.

"What are you?" she called incredulously, in that magic voice.

* * *

**I'm expecting one or two more chapters of this, and I may follow up with a Klaine story in this 'verse. Please review of you want to see more, it makes me write faster, plus it makes me really, really happy.**

**Also check out my tumblr- anythinkerwhothinks . tumblr . com**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~Sarah~**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hello again.**

**Here is the second installation of Her Own Beautiful World. Much of the plot will unravel in this one, and some things will hopefully get cleared up. This story isn't going to be very long, so I'm guessing this is the second to last update for it, with one more chapter after this, and maybe a small epilogue. And of course, Klaine's tale. So... yeah. Enjoy!**

**I don't own Glee.**

* * *

_"What are you?_" she called incredulously, in that magic voice.

"Umm..." Santana was too enthralled to be scared. "A person?"

The girl cocked her head. "What?"

All right... Santana tried again. "A... girl? A woman? A … um, a princess?"

The girl's face transformed from confusion to joy. "You're a princess?" she repeated. "Come up!"  
Before Santana could say "how?", a long tail of hair plummeted down, bouncing to a stop at her feet . She looked up at the girl (who really was gorgeous), who raised her eyebrows expectantly.

She was just so... alluring, and although the girl on the ground knew that this would probably be the stupidest decision she had ever made, she still thought, what the hell? She would only regret it if she didn't. Santana twisted her fingers into the silky strands and began to climb.

"That took a long time," commented the long-haired blonde as Santana arrived, panting. The latina said nothing, only staring incredulously at the room and the girl in it.

She was lithe and tall, with sparkling blue eyes and a thin mouth. Her corn-silk straight hair gleamed in the noontime light, and her skirt was hiked up to her knees. Somehow, her face was both completely open and completely expressionless- it portrayed something the princess couldn't understand. The room was small and circular, intricately painted, with few furnishings- just a bed whose side curved into the wall, a table, chair, chest of drawers, and a small stove.

"Who are you?" she croaked eventually, collapsing without invitation in the chair. Might as well make herself comfortable.

"I'm Brittany," said the girl, who was retrieving her hair from the window. "Are you really a princess?"

"Yes. I'm... Princess Santana."

Brittany looked at her with pale, innocent eyes. "My Mama reads me stories about princesses, but you don't look like a princess. Do you have a unicorn? I think you have to have a unicorn to be a princess."

"That's not true," Santana said, weakly playing along. "I was born a princess, but I don't have... a unicorn."

"That's too bad," said Brittany. "I've heard about them, and they seem very nice."

Santana felt a little dizzy. She had no idea what to say to this beautiful creature whose hair was longer than she'd ever seen. That hair...

"You know, your hair would be easier to manage if you braided it."

Brittany cocked her head endearingly. "Braided?"

Santana pointed to her own braid. "Like this."

They spent the rest of the afternoon wrestling her white-gold tresses into an intricate plait.

"Thanks Santana," Brittany whispered as she watched the dark-haired girl tie off the endless braid with her scarf.

Santana caught the mysterious girl's eyes and couldn't help but grin.

* * *

Santana stalked back into the cool stone halls of the castle with a bounce in her step and a nervous smile on her face. I need to find Blaine, she thought. Quite conveniently, she nearly bowled him over rounding a corner, coming dangerously close to falling on him and the other man who he seemed to be deep in conversation with.  
"There you are!" she said cheerfully, grabbing his hand and dragging him along. "Bye, Ladyface!" Chuckling, she led them away from the bemused nobleman.

"Santana," Blaine whined, when they were a safe distance away. "Do you realize who that was?"

"Yep!" she replied, "But I am far more important and you love me and you will listen to me talk and then you will give me advice." They arrived in her chambers and she immediately flopped them both down onto her her massive bed.

The short boy groaned. "Fine. What happened?"

"So, I was out riding-"

"As always..."

"Shut it. I was out riding and..."

The servant quickly became entranced in the tale and when she came to the end, he was incredulous.

"So... what are you going to do about it?" he asked tentatively. She groaned.

"Ugh. I don't know- go back, I guess. it's just... this girl is so cluelessly happy, it makes me feel happy, too- happier than I've felt in a long time." She flopped forwards, burying her face in the plush duvet so that when she spoke, her voice was muffled. "I don't know what to do!"

Blaine sat still, pensive. "I suppose you just do what feels right," he finally said, reaching out to smooth her glossy black hair. The princess half rolled over, blinking bashfully up at him in one of her rare moments of vulnerability.

"She feels right," she admitted.

Blaine finally cracked a grin. "Then do something about it."

* * *

Having a purpose is a curious thing. For the next month, two months, three months, Santana moved about the castle and performed her royal duties as always, but in the back of her head there was a nudging of both need and joy. Need to be with Brittany, joy to have found her in the first place. She was both distracted and dedicated, and she lost some of the snarkyness that usually accompanied her wherever she went. She didn't tease Blaine for his subtle yet constant sly glances at Kurt, she didn't scold her other servant, Rachel, as much as usual. And she would disappear for hours at a time visiting the girl in the tower.

It was heart-wrenchingly glorious, this purpose that was now a part of her.

"You should meet my Mama," said Brittany, one day. They were laying side by side on her bed that afternoon, mellow light slanting through the paneless window to dapple their clothes and hair.

"I'm not sure if that would be a good idea," replied Santana, pensively. She'd been thinking about this 'Mama' character- there had to be a reason that Brittany was kept up there, isolated, and she wasn't sure if this Mama should know that she came to the tower so often. Or at all.

"Why?" asked Brittany, innocent as ever.

"I'm afraid that she might not like me," Santana offered, rolling sideways a bit. She smiled reassuringly. "I'm not really a likeable person, normally."

"I like you. I like you a lot." Brittany widened her eyes earnestly. The other girl laughed with quiet glee.

"I think I love you."

"What is love?"

"It's when you like someone very, very much. So much, in fact, that no matter what happens, you just keep liking them more and more." Santana smiled gently to herself. "That's what loving someone is."

"I think I love you, too," said Brittany.

How would you know? Santana wanted to say. You've only known two people in your life. How can I know that what you feel for me is as big as I feel for you? This tower is your world; I'm only a visitor. How am I to know that this love could even exist? she wanted to cry.

But instead, she scooted over and pressed her lips to Brittany's warm mouth.

The long-haired girl gasped, and pulled the princess closer, and hands in each other's hair, they pressed tighter in the warm afternoon sun.

Their relationship grew even stronger from that day on. Santana disappeared more often, and for longer periods of time so Blaine had to get creative with excuses to tell her family why she was never there. Santana prided herself in being romantic, for she'd never been able to be romantic before, and she often brought Brittany bouquets of flowers, which the blonde usually fed to Lord Tubbington, and little gifts which she always made sure were stashed safely beneath the simple bed.

The princess worried, though. How long would they be able to keep this up? It's not like she could steal Brittany away, and even if she did, there's no way they could even be... together. And besides- Brittany didn't belong in that world.

There were days when she shut herself up with Blaine for hours and she just ranted, about how perfectly unreachable Brittany was, and for those few hours, it seemed like they were actually getting somewhere, getting closer to a solution; but later, she realized she was still stuck in the same place.

So all she did was go back- again and again and again.

* * *

Brittany found everything about this situation perfect. Santana came every other day, and they kissed and talked and laughed and it was fun_. More than fun_. She could only describe it with that word that Santana taught her- love. Brittany _loved_ kissing Santana, she_ loved_ talking with Santana, she_ loved Santana_. Days without her were boring and dull, days with her were bright, happy, magical.

One day when Santana didn't come, Brittany was twirling around her tiny room as usual, but that day it wasn't much fun. Frowning, the girl tried to think of something different to do, which was hard because there wasn't much up there. A glint caught her eye from under her bed- one of the treasures that Santana had brought her. Brittany grinned happily. She gathered them all up and put them on the table. There was a gleaming necklace with pearls (Santana had told her all about pearls and the sea), a simple ivory comb, a colorful storybook with flowers pressed between the pages, a curling sheet of parchment on which her love had written their names, and then Brittany had drawn a heart around them, and made her smile. Brittany herself smiled as she looked at her treasures.

"Brittany, Brittany, let down your hair!"

Happy to have something to do, she dropped her hair down from the window, and Mama was up in the room in a flash, beaming as always.

"Hello, my darling!"

"Hello, Mama," answered Brittany dutifully. Mama was not as fun as Santana, but she was still company. Maybe she could persuade her to stay and maybe read a story or something.

Mama took the basket and set it on the table, looking curiously at the objects that lay there.

"Brittany..." she said slowly, carefully picking up the comb as if it would dissolve under any more pressure other than the tremble of her fingertips. "What are these?"

"Oh," said Brittany distractedly, playing with the hem of her skirt. "Santana brought me those."  
Suddenly she remembered something Santana had told her once- it echoed in her head.

_"I don't think your Mama should know about me."_

And when Brittany raised her eyes to the other woman's, she knew Santana had been right.

Mama's eyes were unbelieving, but even Brittany could see something more sinister behind that expression.

"You, mean to say," hissed Mama, "that someone has been here, giving you these?"

"I didn't mean to!" whimpered Brittany, knowing she had done wrong.

The older woman clutched a twitching hand to her silk-clad chest, and staggered back as if being dealt a fatal blow. "Mama!" cried the girl, who rushed forward in a swirl of fine gold hair. But she could not reach her- some invisible barrier separated them. Then it was gone, and Mama's hand was wrapped fiercely around her arm, eyes sparking.

"I thought I could keep you safe!" she lamented. "Oh, wicked child, you have betrayed me! I have gone through so many trials to keep you safe from this evil world we are trapped in, but you have tossed it all away! You have doomed yourself!"

Pushing the girl away from her in spite, the woman snapped "Well, you can say goodbye to this Santana of yours, for you will never see her again." She slashed the air with her hand, and suddenly a pile of sheared blonde locks whispered into place at Brittany's feet.

Crying, Brittany pressed her hands to her cropped head. "I thought you loved me!"

"What do you know of love?" shrieked Mama.

_"Everything!"_

But her cry was swallowed up by the whirlwind of magic that kicked her feet off the ground and wrenched her limbs this way and that, and carried her far, far away.

* * *

**Next chapter you'll learn why Brittany was up in the tower in the first place, who "Mama" is, where Brittany goes and what Santana does about it. I'm hoping to get it up in a week-ish. Keep an eye out for an update, and as always, please leave a review.**

**Thanks**

**~Sarah~**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hi!**

**Here is the third part of Her Own Beautiful World. In this is going to be the last chapter of the fic, and the epilogue will be posted in a week or so. The first part of the chapter is very angsty.**

**Starting Monday, I have final exams, though, so I may be a little busy! But the Klaine fic in this 'verse is going to be called Forgetting Your Place, and is already in production, so keep an eye out!**

**I don't own Glee.**

**Enjoy**

* * *

Breathing heavily, "Mama", or as she really was called, Casssandra, watched her magic fall to the ground and dissolve, like a gust of dusty wind. The tower was empty now, save for the wild glare of two cat eyes from underneath the bed, and her pulse raced erratically through the silence.

She couldn't believe it. She had failed.

She had failed.

Moving as if in a dream, she knelt to gather up the strewn, pale tresses, carefully bundling up the ends in Brittany's head scarf before tying the whole tail to the hook just by the window. Then she laid herself down on the bed, and snapped herself to sleep. Only in dreams could she escape the prison that was Earth.

_"A child of both bloods! Carried by a human woman- but half faerie! Who's the father?"_

_"They say it's Brittan- Casssandra's son, remember? He's on trial today. Of course he'll be found guilty."_

_"Poor Casssandra! Brittan will be put to death for sure. Not that he'd live very long, anyway. Her only son, consorting with humans. Ugh."_

_"But whatever will happen to the child?"_

_"I doubt it will survive."_

_At first she had tolerated them- the quick, sharp, fading comments that dripped from her neighbors' mouths like poison. But they didn't stop._

_"She can't have not known, could she?"_

_"I'll bet she tried to hide it."_

_"Shameful!"_

_"I hope she's as glad as we are to have Brittan dead. He was a real threat to us."_

_"I'll bet she loves humans as much as he did. I'll bet she's as bad as him."_

_She snapped. And when the haze cleared from her eyes, she was screaming, rage sparking from her fingertips into the hearts of the others, forever open-mouthed._

_"He was my **son**!" _

_The faerie judicial branch banished her to live on Earth forever._

_And so she went to the only thing she could trust anymore: a fair-haired, strange newborn baby laying vulnerable in a small cradle._

_"Don't worry," she crooned to the blue-eyed infant as they flew away. "I'll protect you. I couldn't protect Brittan, but I'll protect you. You'll never have to see humans in your life, I promise... Brittany."_

_The baby just giggled._

* * *

"Wake up! Get up! What have you done with her? Damn it, tell me!"

Cassandra's eyes slid open cooly. Hands were pulling at her wrist, shaking her shoulder.

"Get off me, filthy human," she snapped at the distressed girl, who reeled back, eyes flashing. Her face was wet with tears, but her expression was one of pure rage. Her sleek black hair swung as she stepped forward again, but her beautiful appearance was marred by her distress.

"Where's Brittany?" she cried, hands erratically clenching into fists at her sides.

"And you must be Santana," Cassandra said, mockingly, as she picked up the playfully scribbled-on parchment. She sneered at it, tracing the heart around their names. "You're the one who turned her against me."

"Where is she?" Santana seethed. She grabbed the thick, tangled tail of hair where it dangled from the window. "What did you do to her,_ 'Mama?'"_

"Do you realize what you have done to her?" asked the faerie simply.

"I... what... damn it, I just want to know where she is!"

"When a faerie touches a mortal- a human- they become mortal, too. That's why we hate you so much. Brittany is only half faerie, but she was going to live a long time. Until you came," she said calmly. "I swore I'd never let that happen. But now she's just another mistake in a long line of horrible, horrible mistakes._ I'm_damned- quite literally- you can't make me die." Cassandra glared at nothing. "Keeping her here would just make me more insane. I'd have to watch her die, too soon."

"Faerie? Wait, what are you talking about? How do I know you are telling the truth?"

Cassandra turned cold, wild eyes at her, a truly lost expression fluttering around her face. "You don't."

And then Santana was falling, falling, until she wasn't and she was hit painfully by the floor of a forest. Her vision blurred, she gasped wetly, and everything faded away.

* * *

Brittany, too, found herself in a forest. Her head was cold and felt too light on her shoulders- the ends of her hair were prickly on her back and neck. She knew she had to go somewhere- but which way? Everywhere she looked, there were dark, ominous trees, which were a lot taller than they looked from her tower. Not knowing what to do, she knelt in front of the nearest tree, pressed her forehead to the rough, damp bark and softly cried.

_"What is love?"_

_"It's when you like someone very, very much. So much, in fact, that no matter what happens, you just keep liking them more and more." Santana smiled gently to herself. "That's what loving someone is."_

And keeping Santana's smile in her head, Brittany turned her face to the skies and whispered, like a prayer.

"Santana!"

* * *

The princess blinked up at darkening skies. Someone had called her name.

* * *

Back in Lima, all hell was breaking loose. The princess had been missing for over a day now, and the king and queen were distraught. Search parties marched steadily out of the kingdom, made up of grim-faced men on horses.

Blaine, astride a black horse, rode determinedly into the forest with them, packs full of food and supplies. Where had she gone?

A month passed.

It was almost as if the Kingdom was at war- fresh men were being sent out everyday, weary men rode in nearly as often. They spread out for miles, searching, calling, for the princess.

It was nearing the end of summer when Blaine reached the farthest point he could go: a piney forest near a cold, pebbled beach, and beyond it, sea for miles upon miles, stretching places he never would dare to go. He turned wearily to the small, unwashed group of soldiers, eyes sore and red from stress. "Let's go, men."

They rode into the dismal pine trees. Inside, it was green-gray-brown shadows, with clever pine needles reaching out to snatch at bits of clothing, and dull, glassy animal eyes staring from the forest floor and the boughs of trees. There was no noise, human or animal, until suddenly, there was.

A broken, simple tune, sung without words but not without meaning, from around them, above them, below them, in their midst.

"What is that?" men whispered. The song stopped as soon as it had come, then coming rustling branches and barely audible footsteps. Everyone flinched, terror and anticipation flitting across their faces, but those expressions were quickly replaced by braver, tougher facades as they surveyed the men next to them to see that their masks were as obviously fake and that they were all as terrified as the other. They were all thinking the same thing._ It could be her, it could not be._Blaine gulped.

"Santana? Is that you?"

At the sound of his voice, a person burst from behind a tree, blond hair- dirty and uneven- swinging as she stumbled forward in her haste. Blaine stepped back in shock at the sight of her.

"Santana?" she gasped. "Did you say Santana?"

She wore a familiar pearl necklace around her neck, and Blaine's head whirled as he put two and two together.

"Brittany?"

She nodded, not understanding but grateful for his presence. Slowly, Blaine turned to the others.

"I know who she is," gasped, as if not believing it himself. He took her hand gently, hesitantly, and as their hands touched, he felt something akin to hope.

The next day, Liman soldiers found the princess Santana sleeping in a tree not three miles away.

* * *

The sun's first rays beat down warmly on Brittany's back as she slept. Her arms were wrapped loosely around Blaine's waist, her head pillowed on his shoulder as they rode into the kingdom at dawn. Children in their nightclothes dashed out to meet the search parties, their soft, high voices cheering at their return.

"Unhh..." The girl nuzzled her face into the back of his neck, slowly waking up. He tucked her wrists under his arms to keep her at least a little secure, wincing at how bony they were. Wide-eyed civilians stared at the unfamiliar girl, smiled at the masses of men.

"The princess has been found!" they announced, to each other, to the searchers. Blaine smiled. He laughed. It was over. It was over, and it was glorious.

As they approached the castle, he noticed a group of servants and soldiers crowded near the doors, fussing over something. Puzzled, he sidled up to them.

A girl burst from the crowd, pushing people away. "Blaine!" Santana wobbled to a stop, staring at the groggy girl clinging to his back.

"_Brittany!_"

"_Santana!_" Brittany shrieked, flying off the horse, nearly taking Blaine with her. She collapsed into Santana's arms, laughing hysterically in joy, "Santana, Santana, Santana!"

The princess, however, was sobbing. "I'm so sorry, Brittany, I'm so sorry." Their legs gave out and they collapsed on the steps, breathing hard. Their voices inaudibly affectionate, they held each other too tight and blocked out the whole world.

"Alright, let's go," Blaine, weary and relieved, knelt to help the hysterical girls up. "You both need to eat, a lot, and sleep. Let's go."

And he led them into the castle.

* * *

The bed Santana nestled into seemed too soft, too warm to be true. She'd been living off plants and berries for the past month, and sleeping in trees and caves, so of course she wasn't used to it. Buttery yellow sunlight fell over her face, but she refused to open her eyes- she wanted to stay there forever and ever.

The bed dipped as something- no, someone, fell onto the bed and cuddled into her side.

"Blaaiine, go 'way, I wanna sleep."

"I'm not Blaine."

Santana's eyes flew open. "Britt!"

A pair of blue eyes smiled at her. "Hi. Oh!" Santana immediately wrapped her in a hug, which the blonde eagerly returned.

"I missed you so much," Santana muttered into her neck.

"I missed you," replied Brittany earnestly. Her hair was still cut in a deep slant, but it was clean, and the scratches on her arms and face had healed cleanly into thin, barely-there red lines.

"Your hair is so short," Santana giggled drowsily. Brittany smiled.

"I like it like this. Blaine says it looks strange, but good. I like Blaine, too!"

"You talked to Blaine?" asked Santana, smiling.

"Yes, he's nice. He found me a new dress and told me what shoes are."

The princess laughed, loudly and happily, but it was cut off by the door opening with a creak.

"Princess Santana?" Rachel peeked into the room. "The King and Queen request your presence. Do you need any help dressing? Would you like any food?"

"I have everything I need right here." Santana grinned. "I'll be right out."

* * *

"Santana, mija!"

"Mami! Papi!" Brittany watched, intrigued, from behind Blaine's shoulder as the princess greeted her family with embraces and smiles and a few tears. Santana definitely looked more princess-like dressed in a deep burnt-orange dress that shimmered with every move (though it was baggy, while it had once fit perfectly). Everything in this castle was magical, whimsical to her. The interactions of the servants, the royals, all the people- so many people. Families, friends- they were new to her, but she eagerly studied them. Now she studied Santana, her family, and smiled.

"I missed you such much," Santana said, in her mother's embrace.

"Me, too, but mija, where did you go?"

She took a deep breath, smiling with joy and nervousness. "Before I tell you, you need to meet someone."

Looking back hesitantly, she raised her eyebrows at Blaine and Brittany. "Brittany?"

Blaine let go of her hand and nodded towards the middle of the throne room (for that's where they were). Brittany slowly made her way over to them, taking Santana's hand quickly, as if she just needed someone to hold it all the time. The princess glanced reassuringly at her, then looked at her parents with a purpose.

"This is Brittany. I'm in love with her."

* * *

**AN**

**Stay tuned for an epilogue! I hoped you enjoyed- this was a hard chapter to write, and some feedback would be very nice.**

**~Sarah~**


	4. Epilogue

**AN: Hi, all.**

**I'm super sorry how late this is, but there was end of the school year stuff to take care of and then I was sort of living with random guardians 'cause my parents were in Hawaii but hey! It's summer now! I wasn't quite sure where this story was going to go when I finished the last chapter but with some prompted brainstorming I came up with this. So... yeah. Enjoy.**

**I don't own glee.**

* * *

A glorious wedding was planned soon after.

Santana sat pensively in front of an ornate mirror, too many things flying through her head for there to be room for even a notion of nervousness. White silk was draped over her shoulders and slid and twisted down her body in the most annoyingly intricate wedding dress she had ever seen. Yet another thing her parents had insisted on. A true princess bride glanced at her from the mirror. Unseen, her fingers violently twisted into and pressed down the full skirt, and as a door creaked open behind her she whipped her head around to see who it was. Blaine and Brittany peeked in, both holding bouquets of roses.

"Hi, honey," Blaine whispered, as if talking too loud would upset her. Santana smiled.

"You shouldn't be here," she glanced at Brittany once. "especially you." The blonde girl just shrugged. She too was robed in white, although her dress was not nearly as fancy as Santana's. "I wanna be here with you until the wedding has to start," she said softly, letting her arms fall over the princess's shoulders. They met each other's eyes in the mirror, and shared a shaky smile, Brittany's blonde head resting on Santana's veiled dark hair.

"I can't believe this is happening," whispered Santana.

Firmly placing the bouquet in the princess's lap, Blaine took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Well, it is. Come, Brittany, we must leave. We shouldn't be here." He gently kissed Santana's hand. "We just wanted to see you before it happens."

"Thank you," Santana replied, tipping her head back to look at Blaine, and also to attempt to keep her tears -signs of emotion that she almost never showed- from spilling.

The blonde girl wrapped her arms tighter around the princess bride. "I love you."  
And then her arms were gone, feet pattering unevenly away.

"I love you, too." Santana said to the mirror.

* * *

Her father's grip was tight around her arm. All Santana wanted was to rip away from him and run across the room to her love. But she knew she couldn't. They walked slowly down the wide aisle, people bowing their heads in respect as the royals passed, then raising their heads to stare at them from behind. Santana felt the burn of their stares on her back. Finally, she was at the end of the aisle, and standing among a group of royals and family members, her father firmly placed her hand into the hand of her future spouse. They turned to face the High Priest, who looked at them with unmistakable authority.

"We are gathered here today to witness the binding of Her Highness Santana Inez Gloria Lopez of Lima and the Duke Finn Hudson in holy matrimony..."

_"No! I won't, I tell you! I love her, not him! Can't you tell? She's everything to me. I won't marry that oaf of a Duke."_

_"It has already been arranged!" boomed the king, his expression becoming hard. "Santana, you are a princess. You have duties. One of those duties is to continue our bloodline. You must marry this man, you must bear his children."_

_Her face contorted into disgust. "That's repulsive. I am in love with Brittany, father, I couldn't betray her by marrying another."_

_The King's face turned stormy. "You forget, daughter, that this is my kingdom. I can tell you what to do, and you will do it." He pulled himself up to his full height. "And I will use your love for this Brittany to my advantage, if I need to."_

_Santana felt the blood drain from her face. Her nose and hands went cold. "How?" she hissed._

_"You would never see her again." The king stared hard at her for a second as his daughter froze._

_"You wouldn't."_

_"I would." He softened slightly, sighing. "Santana, I love you. You are my daughter. But this must happen. I'll let your... friend stay here- she can become a servant- but you must marry the duke. Or else."_

She risked a single glance over her shoulder during the ceremony. Immediately, her eyes were drawn to the row of obediently lined-up servants against the back wall. Brittany smiled ruefully at her, her hand clasped tightly with Blaine's behind her white servant's skirt. She gave Santana a slight nod. And the Princess turned back to the Priest and the groom.

"I do," she croaked.

* * *

**AN: GUYS. Guys. Don't worry, THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL. After I create Klaine's tale (which will be shorter) there will be a sequel, which I'm very excited for. So sorry again for putting this off, and I hope you enjoyed. Reviews make me happy and also motivate me to put off my schoolwork and write!**

**Thanks so much for reading!**

**~Sarah~**


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